From Stagnation to Meaning: A Practical Guide to Finding Purpose
Finding your purpose
Often in life we can get lost in the routine that is our existence. Days pass by, we wake up, go to work, take the same route home, do our evening routine then go off to bed just to hit replay the next day. It is easy to lose sight of our dreams, or vision and most importantly of who we truly are. When we get lost in stagnation these important things slowly and silently begin to fade away until one day we wake up and realize months, years or even decades have passed us by.
The why of stagnation
Often, we are chasing single point focus. Whether digesting content, watching tv, reading or playing video games. These activities help us to anchor our minds to a single thing and help drown out invasive thoughts and feelings that want to come up. Any moment of scilence something that feels unbearable. Late nights lying in bed trying to sleep. The waves of chaos that surround us when we are stuck in traffic. Let's face it, many of us don't like spending time with ourselves because it can get dark, but all these little distractions add up and compile feeding that voice and making stagnation more an escape than a call to action.
So why is purpose important?
Purpose is something that can help us gain focus and clarity. Is moving away from societal expectations and embracing what truly brings us joy and that we can do with ease. When we live in alignment with purpose everything in our lives evolves from our work to our relationships and most importantly our personal growth. Our purpose not only gives us motivation, but also motivates us to do hard things, and push outside of our comfort zones. It is something that calls forth the best parts of ourselves to heed a call and create something greater than ourselves.
When we live with purpose, we live in flow and when we live in flow abundance flows effortlessly into our lives. It is striving to build a dream. It is living in alignment with our gifts and our passions allowing us to pour ourselves into our work and give it all of our attention.
What is Not Purpose.
Some people confuse purpose with success. Being successful is not a bad thing, but often success is a goal we strive for when we feel lack or a need to prove our worth. Have you ever noticed how many millionaires suffer from depression? Yes, all that money is great, but once we hit a certain comfortable level money can't really be bought by happiness or fulfillment. In face it can make us feel more out of alignment than ever before.
Another place this gets confused is when we pursue a path that our families and peers want us to follow. Often this desire of those in our lives is to see us successful and safe, but more often than not the paths laid before us by others are their paths, not our own. When we get into purpose we are chasing our own vision, our own dream. We are trying to be the change we want to see in the world.
How Do We Find Our Purpose?
This is the question so many people are hung up on today and it can almost feel impossible to identify once we get caught up in the machine that is capitalism. This isn't a complaint, but it is an observation. If you feel lost and without direction, then it may be time to sit in that silence and ask yourself the hard questions you have been avoiding. Maybe it's time to start removing the mask you made for validation and to fit in and reflect on who you truly are underneath it all.
There is a concept in psychology called the theory of multiple intelligences coined by Howard Gardner. He claims there are 8 spheres of intelligence and that we all have prowess in one or two of the area's music, architecture, communication/ interpersonal, math, natural science and big picture/ introspective. I personally believe there are many more spheres, it's just learning. Where is your strength in understanding? What is something you find fascinating that you can't stop learning about? For me it was psychology and people. It is what drives my purpose, I want to help people get out of their heads and into their lives, to help people build community again and to help end the tribalism so rampant in our society today.
Some practical exersices and places to look for the answer
Ask yourself what did you find fascinating or enjoyable as a kid? What was your dream job?
What hobbies have you wanted to get involved in, but havent? Or which ones do you find so much passion in doing?
What are some of your strengths? And in turn what are your weaknesses?
Journal daily about your thoughts, beliefs, and your desires?
Ask your close friends or family what they believe your strengths are, or what work they think you would be good at.
Spending time away from distraction lets your mind depressurize so that you gain clarity. You can do this in many ways by meditating, hiking or just taking a simple walk around the block.
Identify what your core values are and what allgins with who you truly are.
Seek support, find mentors, coaches or communitys that share your vision that resonates with your passions.
Embrace the Journey
We all want to get to the destination, to cultivate that security and be living our dream lives, but the journey is what's most important. It is where the stories are made, and the character is cultivated. Whether your ship is caught in a storm or you find an island of beauty you never thought existed. It is in the journey that we can embrace the present and take action. Take small steps to start today, make the real idealized version of you the next step for you and not who you are at the destination. Allow yourself to be human and love yourself for who you are today. Learn to support who that is and become your best friend and not your greatest critic. Allow yourself to be a novice whose first steps are messy and uncoordinated. It takes 10,000 hours to master a skill so don't beat yourself up when you don't do something perfect for the first time.
Get in touch with what makes your heart sing and your soul rise! Find the hidden passion you have been avoiding or not daring enough to chase. Remove the limitations you have set on you whether society is telling you cannot or even your own self. Allow yourself to experience life the way you want and reach for those dreams you tell yourself about quitely when you think no one is listening. You only live once and there is no greater gift you can give yourself than living a life authentically aligned with your dream, your values and your purpose.
With love and gratitude, Michael Perry Ad Lucem.
